PROFILED BY DE GROOTSGazebo has transported an eclectic French garden into a location that laps up the sunlight and the greenery of Fitzroy Gardens. Kings Cross looks almost wholesome from this angle. French music dances over the quirky decor: the recycled timber tables, Victorian chairs leaking stuffing, and the moss creeping over the bar. The covered garden area is lit by sun during the day and by bare light bulbs that drop from the roof at night.
Even the wine list is infused with a French je ne sais quoi, dividing wines into categories such as opulent whites, unpronounceable whites (such as huia gewurztraminer), pink bits and slurpable reds. The bar features a fancy wine preserving machine that can store wine up to three weeks, allowing wine connoisseurs to dabble in Grange without purchasing an entire bottle. The small plates are perfect for mixing and matching with the wines, hinted at by the note on the menu asking you to challenge the staff for a wine match. Dishes include the delicate sashimi of kingfish, tuna and king salmon served with cucumber and a kick of wasabi jelly. Don’t expect to fill up on the small plates (as promised, they are small) but there are mains on offer and a fish board that changes daily.
Jennifer Miller, November 2006
